Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Dong, X.T., Limyunyawong, N., Wang, G., Sypek, E.I., Ortines, R.V., Lay, M., Dikeman, D., Wang, Y.,  & Miller, L. S., Lu, W., Kim, B., Garz, L.A., Archer, N.K.,Dong, X.Z. Keratinocyte-derived defensins activate neutrophil-specific receptors Mrgpra2a/b to prevent skin dysbiosis and bacterial infection Immunity 2022 55, 1645-1662.

Zheng, Q., Xie, W., Lückemeyer, D. D., Lay, M., Wang, X.-W., Dong, X.T, Limjunyawong, N., Ye, Y., Zhou, F.-Q., Strong, J. A., Zhang, J.-M., Dong, X.Z. Synchronized cluster firing, a distinct form of sensory neuron activation, drives spontaneous pain.  Neuron 2022 110, 209-220.

Xu, Q., Ford, N.C., He, S., Huang, Q., Anderson, M., Chen, Z., Yang, F., Crawford, L.K., Caterina, M.J., Guan, Y., Dong, X. Astrocytes contribute to pain gating in the spinal cord. Science advances 2021 7 (45), eabi6287

Pundir, P., Liu, R., Vasavda, C., Serhan, N., Limjunyawong, N., Yee, R., , Zhan, Y., Dong, X.,Wu, X., Zhang, Y., Snyder, S., Gaudenzio N., Vidal, J., Dong, X., Identification of mammalian receptors for quorum sensing molecules and their role in antibacterial immunity. Cell Host & Mcrobe 2019 26:114-122 Previewed by CH&M

Green DP, Limjunyawong N, Gour N, Pundir P, Dong X. A mast cell specific receptor mediates neurogenic inflammation and pain. Neuron 2019 101: 412-420. Preview by Neuron. PMID: 30686732;

Meixiong J, Anderson M, Limjunyawong N, Sabbagh MF, Hu E, Mack MR, Oetjen LK, Wang F, Kim BS, Dong X. Activation of mast cell-expressed mas-related G-protein-coupled receptors drives non-histaminergic itch. Immunity 2019 50: 1163-1171. Preview by Immunity NIHMS 152512

J Meixiong, C Vasavda, D Green, Q Zheng, L Qi, SG Kwatra, JP Hamilton, SH Snyder, X Dong. Identification of a bilirubin receptor that may mediate a component of cholestatic itch. 2019 eLife 8: e44116.

J Meixiong, C Vasavda, SH Snyder, X Dong. MrgprX4 is a G-protein-coupled receptor activated by bile acids that may contribute to cholestatic pruritus. 2019 PNAS 116: 10525-10530

L Han, N Limjunyawong, Z Li, OJ Hall, W Mitzner, BJ Undem, BJ Canning, X Dong. Mrgprs on vagal sensory neurons contribute to bronchoconstriction and airway hyperresponsiveness. Nature Neuroscience 2018 21:324-328

S Sun, Q Xu, C Guo, Y Guan, Q Liu, X Dong. Leaky gate model: intensity-dependent coding of pain and itch in the spinal cord. Neuron (2017) 93, 840-853.

Li Z, Tseng PY, Tiwari V, Xu Q, Wang Y, Han L, Wu Z, Cui Y, He SQ, Tiwari V, Sun S, Zheng Q, Cheng Y, Huang J, Geng Y, Xiao B, Peng J, Hopkins CR, Raja SN, Guan Y, Dong X. (2017) Targeting human Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor X1 to inhibit persistent pain. PNAS (2017) early edition.

YS Kim, M Anderson, KS Park, Q Zheng, A. Agarwal, C Gong, Saijilafu, L Young, SQ He, PC LaVinka, F Zhou, D. Bergles, M. Hanani, Y Guan, DC Spray, X Dong. Coupled activation of primary sensory neurons contributes to chronic pain. Neuron 2016 91:1085-1096.

D Green, X Dong. The cell biology of acute itch. The Journal of cell biology 2016 213 (2), 155-161 

Weng HJ, Patel KN, Jeske NA, Bierbower SM, Zou W, Tiwari V, Zheng Q, Tang Z, Mo GC, Wang Y, Geng Y, Zhang J, Guan Y, Akopian*, Dong X*. Tmem100 is a regulator of TRPA1-TRPV1 complex and contributes to persistent pain. Neuron 2015 85:833-846. *co-corresponding authors

McNeil B, Pundir P, Meeker S, Han L, Undem B, Kulka M, Dong X.  Identification of a mast cell specific receptor crucial for pseudo-allergic drug reactions. Nature 2015 519: 237-241. Covered by BBC News

Han L, Dong X. (2014) Itch mechanisms and circuits. Annual Review of Biophysics.

Li Z, He SQ, Xu Q, Yang F, Tiwari V, Liu, Q, Tang Z, Han L, Chu YX, Wang, Hin N, Tsukamoto T, Slusher B, Guan X, Wei F, Raja SN, Dong X*, Guan Y*. Activation of MrgC receptor inhibits N-type calcium channels in small-diameter primary sensory neurons in mice. Pain 2014 155:1613-1621. *co-corresponding authors

Kim Y, Chu Y, Han L, Li M, Li Z, Sun S, LaVinka PC, Tang, Z, Park K, Caterina M, Dobner R, Wei F, Dong X. (2014) Central terminal sensitization of TRPV1 by descending serotonergic facilitation modulates chronic pain. Neuron 81 (4): 873-887

He SQ, Li Z, Chu YX, Han L, Xu Q, Yang F, Liu Q, Tang Z, Wang Y, Hin N, Tsukamoto T, Slusher B, Wei F, Raja SN, Dong X*, Guan Y*. (2014) MrgC agonism at central terminals of primary sensory neurons inhibits neuropathic pain. Pain 155 (3): 534-544. *co-corresponding authors

Tang Z, Kim A, Masuch T, Park K, Weng H, Wetzel C, and Dong X. (2013) Pirt functions as an endogenous regulator of TRPM8. Nature Communications July 2013.

Zhao X, Tang Z, Zhang H, Atianjoh FE, Zhao JY, Liang L, Wang W, Guan X, Kao SC, Tiwari V, Gao YJ, HOffman PN, Cui H, Li M, Dong X, TAo YX. (2013) A long noncoding RNA contributes to neuropathic pain by silencing Kv1.2 in primary afferent neurons. Nature Neuroscience July 2013.

Han L, Ma C, Liu Q, Weng H, Cui Y, Tang Z, Kim Y, Nie H, Qu L, Patel K, Li Z, McNeil B, He S, Guan Y, Xiao B, LaMotte R, Dong X. (2013) A subpopulation of nociceptors specifically linked to itch. Nature Neuroscience 16:174-182. Covered by New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Huffington Post, Scientific American Mind, NBCnews.com, and other foreign news agencies, etc.

Liu Q, Sikand P, Ma C, Tang Z, Han L, Zhe Li, Sun S., LaMotte R, Dong X. The mechanisms of itch evoked by β-alanine . J. Neurosci. 2012 32(42):14532-14537.

Liu Q, Weng H, Patel KN, Tang Z, Bai H, Dong X.  (2011) The distinct roles of two GPCRs, MrgprC11 and PAR2, in itch and hyperalgesia. Science Signaling 4: ra45

Patel KN, Liu Q, Meeker S, Undem BJ, and Dong X. (2011)  Pirt, a TRPV1 modulator, is required for histamine-dependent and independent itch. PLoS ONE 6: e20559

Sikand P,  Dong X*, LaMotte RL*. (2011) BAM8-22 peptide produces itch and nociceptive sensations in humans independent of histamine release. Journal of Neuroscience  21: 7563-7; *co-corresponding authors

Wilson SR, GerholdK,  Bifolck-Fisher A, Liu Q, Patel KN, Dong X, and Bautista DM. (2011) TRPA1 is required for histamine-independent, Mas-related G protein coupled receptor-mediated itch. Nature Neuroscience 14: 595-603

Patel KN and Dong X.  (2010) An itch to be scratched. Neuron  68:334-339

Guan Y, Liu Q, Tang Z, Raja SN, Anderson DJ, Dong X. (2010) The inhibitory effect of Mas-related G protein-coupled receptors on pathological pain in mice. PNAS  107: 15933-8. 

Liu Q, Tang Z, Surdenikova L, Kim S, Patel KN, Kim A, Ru F, Guan Y, Weng H, Geng Y, Undem BJ, Kollarik M, Chen ZF, Anderson DJ, and Dong X. (2009) Sensory neuron-specific GPCRs Mrgprs are itch receptors mediating chloroquine-induced pruritus. Cell 139: 1353-1365. Featured by Cell with a Preview

Kim AY, Tang Z, Liu Q, Patel KN, Maag D, Geng Y, and Dong X. (2008)  Pirt, a phosphoinositide-binding protein, functions as a regulatory subunit of TRPV1. Cell  133: 475-485.

Lee M, Dong X*, Liu Q, Patel KN, Choi OH, Vonakis B, and Undem BJ.  (2008)  Agonists of the Mas Related Gene (Mrgs) Orphan Receptors as Novel Mediators of Mast Cell-Sensory Nerve Interactions. Journal of Immunology 180: 2251-2255.  *Corresponding author and co-first author

Liu Q, Vrontou S, Rice F, Zylka MJ, Dong X* and Anderson DJ*.  (2007)  Molecular genetic visualization of a rare subset of unmyelinated sensory neurons that may detect gentle touch. Nature Neuroscience 10: 946-8
*Co-corresponding author

Dong X, Han S, Zylka MJ, Simon MI, and Anderson DJ.  (2001)  A diverse family of GPCRs expressed in specific subsets of nociceptive sensory neurons. Cell  106: 619-632.